Island man arrested on child rape charge

Tisbury Police arrested Andrew R. Bradshaw, 49, on September 5, and he was arraigned in Edgartown District Court the following day on a charge of rape of a child by force. Mr. Bradshaw, until recently a resident of Tisbury, was also arraigned on two charges of enticement of a child and a charge of open and gross lewdness. The victims in the case, according to the police report, are two females under the age of 14.

The court ordered not guilty pleas for Mr. Bradshaw at the arraignment, and he was ordered held on a total of $10,000 bail, $5,000 bail in each of the two cases. Under state law, a conviction for rape of a child under 16 by force is punishable by a prison term of up to life in state prison.

Mr. Bradshaw remained in custody at the Dukes County Jail on Wednesday afternoon.

Tisbury police are working with police departments in New Hampshire and Florida, investigating allegations of similar crimes against the same victims in those states.

Mr. Bradshaw was active in the Cub Scout organization on Martha’s Vineyard, serving as leader of Pack 90 as late as February of 2010. An executive in the Boy Scout organization said he is no longer involved in the scouting organization.